Weather alerts are available through a variety of mobile applications which can be found at www.weather.gov/subscribe. The County's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) also recommends that every home have a NOAA all hazards radio for personal alerting purposes. Working with the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) Emergency Alert System , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created an "All Hazards" radio network, making it your single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. In conjunction with Federal, State, and Local Emergency Managers and other public officials, it also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards – including natural (such as earthquakes or avalanches), environmental (such as chemical releases or oil spills), and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages).

Emergency messaging will be done through geographic targeting landlines and cell phones using a system known as the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS.) This is for emergency messaging only, and requires no action to be taken on your part. IPAWS was created through a Presidential Executive Order, which required our nation to have “an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people in situations of war, terrorist attack, natural disaster or other hazards to public safety and well-being.” IPAWS only works on cell phones that have wireless emergency alerts (WEA) enabled, to confirm your WEA are enabled please check your service provider’s website (due to the many mobile operating systems in use there are too many options to post here). You can also follow the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) on Facebook, and Twitter.

Understanding HoCo Hazards

Preparedness begins with understanding your local hazards. A hazard is any potential source of harm or difficulty and may be natural or manmade. High-risk hazards have a high likelihood of local occurrence and may result in serious consequences to life safety, property, critical infrastructure, the environment, and the economy.

Risk = Likelihood + Consequence

For detailed information on hazard risk in Howard County please see the following resource or visit our Hazard Information Page:

Community Hazard Handbook – An overview of local hazards and hazard risk designed for families and businesses in Howard County.

The Small Business Administration has resources on how to protect your employees, lessen the financial impact of disasters, and re-open your business quickly to support economic activity in your community.

FEMA's website Ready Business will assist businesses in developing a preparedness program by providing tools to create a plan that addresses the impact of common hazards.